A Sheffield bereavement support charity urgently needs donations so it can continue to answer to the 1,100 calls it receives every year.

“We urgently need funds to keep our offices open so we may continue to provide this invaluable service to all the people of Sheffield,” Kevin Ives, chairman of Sheffield Cruse bereavement services, explained.

Sheffield Cruse offers free counselling for people from all over the city, irrespective of background, but it is ‘incredibly underfunded’ so the office cannot be staffed everyday.

Services do not cater for adults only, as there are sessions specifically for children and young people who can be supported through a group setting or on an individual basis.

“It is the only organisation in Sheffield that provides dedicated bereavement support that is free,” Kevin said.

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It does not receive any funding from the NHS yet it receives a lot of referrals from them, he added.

Being solely funded through donations, fundraising and grants, the organisation is struggling with its 20 to 25 calls a week.

Around half of calls can be resolved with an initial call, by providing information or through signposting to other service providers.

Just under half of all service users will require confidential one-to-one sessions however.

Kevin said: “Some individuals need just one or two sessions but the majority need six to eight sessions.”

These sessions are led by fully trained counsellors but they work on a voluntary basis and Kevin estimated the average cost of managing each individual’s case to be £200.

He encouraged individuals and organisations to consider holding their next fundraiser in aid of Cruse bereavement services, to enable it to continue helping the people of Sheffield.

He suggested that people could hold a coffee morning in memory of someone they have lost, and donate the proceeds to Sheffield Cruse.

Alternatively, individuals may be aware of future fundraising events where the organisation could participate.

For further information about Cruse and to donate, see: https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/local-services/yorkshire-and-humber/sheffield

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